Nothing is truly permanent. The ink in permanent markers is typically not water soluble, and uses alcohol, or an oil based solvent. The ink’s lack of water solubility gives it resistance to wiping away, and thus the desired effect of “permanent”. However, paint markers, or sharpies, or any permanent marker can usually be dissolved using a paint thinner, or even acetone or alcohol may remove them.
As others have said, it really just comes down to what will wash it off. Permanent markers can’t be washed with water, but will easily come off with rubbing alcohol. I used to work in an organic garden and we’d use plastic labels for all our plants; we’d write in what we’d planted using permanent marker as it could stand up to the watering and rain. When we reused the labels for a different plant, they all got a bath in a tub of rubbing alcohol. Easy peasy.
Latest Answers